Originally Posted by
Hayden
I can see the advice here is to avoid 90-minute T5-T3 connections. That said...
In early September, I'll be flying CPT-LHR-ORD. I have the choice of a 90-minute connection to AA's maybe more-lightly-loaded 7:45 am LHR-ORD, or a 6-hour connection to the 12:15 pm departure (coming from J on the CPT-LHR flight to Y on LHR-ORD on a mileage ticket). Right now, I took the longer connection, figure I'll give myself a lounge tour, get some tea at the Harrod's store, read the British tabloids, etc.
Would you roll the dice on a 90-minute early-morning T5-T3 transfer?
This is a different question, really, because it's a legal connection on a through ticket. If you miss the connection the airline will re-book you on a later flight free of charge. So, the downsides of a tight connection are:
a) stress if the process is very tight - only you will know your attitude to or tolerance of this,
b) uncertainty of when the next available flight will be - there are lots of OW flights to ORD and early September is not particularly peak so it's probably ok, and
c) you making it but your bag not - this is possible but unlikely. The most likely scenario is that both make it with some comfort, the next most likely scenario is that the inbound is late so you both miss it with comfort...